Underwater cleaning apparatus using suction grip

ABSTRACT

A rotating or oscillating brush is brought up against an underwater surface to be cleaned. The surface may be the hull of a boat or inside walls of an aquarium. While the brush moves, the apparatus is held against the surface by suction. There is a suction pump which pumps water from the apparatus to above ground or elsewhere. The suction creates force of the apparatus against the surface for good cleaning. It is ordinarily difficult to get good force against the surface since the water may be deep and there is nothing for the operator or the apparatus to push against. Debris from cleaning is drawn away from the cleaning area. Wheels or pads or a rubber skirt are used to avoid damaging the surface from too much force. A flexible skirt minimizes water leakage past the apparatus and allows conformation to rounded shapes such as boat hull. The motor to drive the brush may be electric, or may be hydraulic, or may use the suction pressure as a source of energy. The suction pump may be separate or may be driven by the same motor driving the brush.

SUMMARY DESCRIPTION

[0001] A rotating or oscillating brush is brought up against an underwater surface to be cleaned. The surface may be the hull of a boat or inside walls of an aquariurm While the brush moves, the apparatus is held against the surface by suction. There is a suction pump which pumps water from the apparatus to above ground or elsewhere. The suction creates force of the apparatus against the surface for good cleaning. It is ordinarily difficult to get good force against the surface since the water may be deep and there is nothing for the operator or the apparatus to push against. Debris from cleaning is drawn away from the cleaning area. Wheels or pads or a rubber skirt are used to avoid damaging the surface from too much force. A flexible skirt minimizes water leakage past the apparatus and allows conformation to rounded shapes such as boat hull The motor to drive the brush may be electric, or may be hydraulic, or may use the suction pressure as a source of energy. The suction pump may be separate or may be driven by the same motor driving the brush.

[0002] Further, the subject system cleans underwater objects such as the bottoms of boats and the sides of aquariums. There is a rotating brush, powered by a motor. Both may rotate on the same shaft, or there may be an intervening gear box to optimize the relative speeds of the two. The brush rotates against the surface to be cleaned, or as an alternative is an oscillating brush.

[0003] The brush is housed within a bell shaped frame, the open end of which faces the surface to be cleaned. Leading from the bell is a tube which connects to an exhaust pump. The exhaust pump pulls water from the bell and water enters the bell from near the surface to be cleaned. The effect is for the bell to move towards the surface. Thus the pressure of the brush on the surface, needed for cleaning, is provided by the suction action of the exhaust motor.

[0004] The motor driving the brush in one form is electrical and capable of operating under water. It may be of the type used for electric propulsion of small boats for fishing when doing what is known as trolling. The motor uses a safe low voltage, 12 volts or 24, so there is no shock hazard.

[0005] In a convenient form, it is powered from a battery attached to the motor. An operator using the equipment underwater controls the motor brush and propeller speed through controls on the motor assembly, or by communication by either wire or radio to the above water power source. The motion of the cleaning brush may be rotary, or may be linear, with a reciprocating motion.

[0006] To avoid excessive pressure of the apparatus against the surface, which hinders lateral motion, there are pressure release flaps on the sides of the bell.

[0007] An alternative configuration is to use a roller rather than a circular brush, with an abrasive surface, resembling an upright vacuum cleaner.

BACKGROUND

[0008] Underwater surfaces pick up a variety of undesired plant and animal growths, including barnacles. These growths slow down a boat, obscure viewing through aquarium windows, and cause water pollution. Some harbors have stringent pollution laws which prohibit debris from the surface of the boat hull from entering the harbor waters.

[0009] Cleaning is most typically by mechanical scrubbing. Pressure against the surface plus scrubbing motion is needed. Pressure against an underwater surface is sometimes difficult because there is no convenient floor to push against. Pushing from the dock side is awkward and is necessarily done at the adverse end of a long lever arm.

[0010] There have been many efforts to make easy underwater cleaning of boats, and cleaning of aquarium walls. See reference 2. Some have put brushes on long handles, with a bend in the handle to adapt to boat hull curvature. Other efforts have been to use a flow of water through a turbine or impeller to dive a rotating brush under water. The rotating brush provides some of the necessary scrubbing action. There is still a problem of applying adequate pressure. In another system a jet of water squirts or jets away from the surface, applying pressure towards the surface. One problem with this jet system is that, as the brush is moved to lower depths, perhaps four to ten feet down, the ambient water pressure increases, and there is back pressure, so that the brush rotates more slowly. The reactive jet water flow squirting pressure is reduced, frequently rendering the system unsatisfactory. Another way to get pressure towards the surface is to use a venturi effect to cause suction against the surface, but this is also unsatisfactory owing to the back pressure increasing with depth, and with flat surfaces, not cylindrical the venturi effect is very weak. Further, the jet action stirs the water, causing opacity of the water, and spreading the waste products.

PRIOR ART AND PRIOR ART PATENTS

[0011] 1. Application Ser. No. 09/659,407 by Charles Walton, (Docket ID 146) for pond and aquarium underwater surfaces cleaning.

[0012] 2. Patent references: There were 19 patents cited with regard to the above application, q.v. The list is attached.

[0013] 3. Application Ser. No. 110/340774 (Docket ID151 by Charles Walton) shows a propeller system to provide pressure to bring together the surface and the rotating or moving brush.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES

[0014]FIG. 1. Underwater cleaning system using an electric motor to drive the brush, with a separate suction pump to draw water from a bell shape housing surrounding the brush.

[0015]FIG. 2. Cleaning system using an electric motor to drive the brush, and the same motor to drive a suction pump inside the unit, and provisions for moving the brush towards or away from the surface, and a speed change system.

[0016]FIG. 3. Cleaning system in which the flow induced by a separate suction pump also powers the brush.

[0017]FIG. 4. Underwater Cleaning system using an abrasive roller and a suction pump.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0018] Refer to FIG. 1. There is a bell, or yoke, 10 with its open end brought against the surface 12. The surface 12 carries some unwanted material 14, such as algae, barnacles, snails, or mud. The bell 10 also supports a bearing 16, with shaft 18 carrying brush 20. The other end of shaft 18 is driven by motor 22. On brush 20 are multiple scrubbing bristles 24. The bell 10 is held a short distance away from surface 12 by multiple wheels 26, mounted on the lips 28 of bell 10. In lieu of wheels 26 the bell lips 28 may carry a non scratching protection, such as a rubber lip. The lip 28 also supports a skirt 32 or flange. Skirt 32 constrains the flow of water,described later, between the bell 10 and surface 12 and maximizes the suction effect, to be described later.

[0019] There is an external suction pump 38, which may be above or below the water level. When suction pump 38 is operating, water flows as follows. Water enters under the flexible skirt 32. It next flows under the bell tips 28, and through holes in brush 20, and around the outside of brush 20. Water flows through holes 34 in the bell 10 and tube 36. Tube 36 in turn is connected to the suction pump 38. When pump 38 operates the flow is as described and water is drawn from the bell and is exited to another location from nozzle 40, along with the debris 14 scrubbed free by brush 20.

[0020] Refer next to FIG. 2. In this figure new members are introduced, namely a local (bell mounted) suction impeller 82, a gear box speed changer 78, and an axial slip drive allowing axial brush motion while still delivering rotating power to the brush The primary elements of FIG. 1 are repeated, namely the brush 20, bristles 24, tips 28, skirt 32, and motor 22. The bell 50 carries more members than bell 10. There is a fluid permeable plate 52 which supports shaft 18 with bearing 54. Bearing 54 supports the brush, and has the additional capability of allowing axial travel of the brush The purpose of axial travel is given later.

[0021] Shaft 18 is driven rotationally from a power coupling unit formed of housing 56 and follower 58. Housing 56 is driven by shaft 60, to be discussed later. Housing 56 drives the rotation of follower 58 in the following manner. There are matching slots in both housing 56 and follower 58. Riding in the matching slots there are rectangular strips, known as splines, between the housing 56 and follower 58. The spline mechanism is known in the art and the splines are not shown. The result is one to one coupling in rotation, yet follower 58 can move axially while this rotation occurs. Follower 58, shaft 18, brush 20, all move together axially, while being driven rotationally by housing 56 and shaft 60.

[0022] To move the brush 20 and follower 58 axially, there is a dual washer plate element 62, attached rigidly to shaft 18. A control bar 64 fits between the washer plates. The bar 64 applies pressure to element 62 to move it axially, while still allowing shaft 18 to rotate. Thus the pressure of brush 20 against surface 12 is controlled. Spring 66, which has provisions for adjustable tension not shown, also applies force to bar 64, to control the brush pressure. Bar 64 pivots on point 68 so that pressure by an operator on the remote end of bar 64 will also control pressure of the brush 20 against surface 12.

[0023] Axial travel of the brush allows adjustment of the pressure of the brush against the surface 12. This adjustment is important in several ways. The pressure need will vary according to the stubbornness of film 14, and according to wear of the bristles 24, and the degree of flex of the skirt 32. Further, if the operator wishes to break the pressure of the brush against the surface, added axial extension lifts the skirt 32 higher and the pressure towards the surface is brought to practically zero.

[0024] Brush pressure adjustment is convenient for situations where the apparatus is be moved from one working area to another. The operator applies sufficient brush pressure to lift the bell, fully releasing the suction, making movement easy. Further, when the apparatus is pointed in the direction of motion, the suction effect make propulsion to a new area more easy. Changes in brush pressure are also helpful and needed when dealing with curving portions of a boat hull.

[0025] On the other end of shaft 60 is a second support bearing 72. Bearing 72 is carried by a water permeable structure 74. Water passes freely through 74 via multiple holes 76. Shaft 60 is also the output shaft of speed changer 78. Speed changer 78 is most typically of the form of a double gear pass, examples of which are found in swimming pool cleaners to drive the wheels, and is depicted in more detail in reference 1 of this application.

[0026] The input shaft of the speed changer 78 is drive shaft 80. Shaft 80 is driven by and supported by the output of impeller 82. Impeller 82 is the rotating part of a water pump formed of impeller 82, housing 50, and exit point 84. The input end of impeller 82 is supported by shaft 80 extending into bearing 86. The further extension of shaft 80 is into drive motor 22. Drive motor 22 rotates impeller 82 which then pumps water from bell 50 to output pipe 88 and to the exhaust motor 90.

[0027] Water is thus drawn from the underwater surface 12 into the bell 50 at its open end, passing lips 28, and exits via exhaust pump 90 from exhaust point 92. Water is moved in this direction from one or both pump 90 and the pump formed of motor 22 and impeller 82.

[0028] The RPM of the pump formed of motor 22 and impeller 82 is relatively high for good pumping action, whereas scrubbing action typically needs less speed but more torque, hence the speed changer 78 optimizes both speeds and torque. An alternative to speed changer 78 is to use a separate motor for pumping and for brushing.

[0029] For the below water electric motor, power cables, not shown, are brought from above water and are attached to the exhaust hose, forming an umbilicus to the apparatus.

[0030] Refer next to FIG. 3. This configuration has the advantage of not requiring an underwater electric motor. The primary elements of FIG. 1 repeat, namely the brush 20, tips 28, skirt 32, and the same general flow of water from skirts 32 to exhaust 92.

[0031] There is the same flow of water into the bell 100 from the surface 12. The source of rotary power is different. There is a rotor 106 bearing panels or vanes similar to the vanes on a water wheel or water turbine. The rotor is supported by bearings 54 and 108 on shaft 18. The water passes through brush 20 as in the previous figures. As the water exits from brush 20 it is constrained by surface 101 to flow through guide pipes 102 and 104 to nozzles 110 and 112. Nozzles 110 and 112 drive vaned rotor 106, in the manner of a water turbine. Vaned rotor 106 drives the brush 20 for the desired cleaning action. From rotor 106 the water exits via pipes 114 and 116 to exit pipe 88 and exhaust pump 90 and exhaust nozzle 92.

[0032] The brush 20 in FIG. 3 has added vanes, giving it both a propeller type action and rotary pump action, both increasing the water flow from the surface 12 and increasing debris 14 flow through the brush 20 to the exhaust 92, and also increasing the suction pressure upon the surface 12.

[0033] The rotary motion of the brush 20 gives rotary direction to the water flow. To cooperate with this rotary action, the flow elements 102 and 104, in cooperation with nozzles 110 and 112, are tilted in the direction of the rotary action of the brush 20 and rotor 106. With the tilt the water impinges upon the vaned rotor 106 with increased velocity, with consequent performance improvement.

[0034] Nozzle 110 is oriented to drive the turbine blades on turbine 106 toward the viewer, indicated by a circle with a dot inside, representing the front end of an arrow. Nozzle 112 is oriented to drive the turbine blades away from the viewer, indicated by a circle with a cross inside, representing the rear end of an arrow.

[0035] Shaft 18 has freedom to move axially through bearings 54 and 108, so that the proximity of brush 20 to surface 12 can be adjusted axially, and the pressure of the brush against surface 12 can be adjusted, typically by applying pressure to the external end of shaft 18. Shaft 18 is moved axially in the manner shown in FIG. 2. This dual washer structure is not repeated in FIG. 3. Under certain conditions and proportions of brush area, horse power, impeller size, orifice size, and viscosity, the optimum RPM of the brush is not the same as the optimum RPM of the pumps or impellers. In such a case, the remedy is a speed changing gear box between the impeller and brush

[0036] Refer next to FIG. 4. In this system the rotary brush 20 is replaced by a roller brush 124, in the form of a cylinder bearing bristles or similar abrasive surface. The power drive is a motor 122 using a power transfer belt 126. The housing 120 is rectangular in shape and is modified from bell shaped housings 10, 50, and 100 to accept this roller configuration. Certain hull shapes are more easily cleaned with this linear configuration.

[0037] Variations

[0038] 1. To accomplish brush to surface pressure adjustment, an alternative way is to mount the motor and shaft on bearings which slide axially, carrying the brush, towards or away from the surface.

[0039] 2. A second way to adjust brush pressure against the surface, not shown, is to raise and lower the skirts or flange around the bell adjacent to the surface to be cleaned. A third way, not shown, is to raise and lower the wheels which position the bell height over the surface to be cleaned.

[0040] 3. An alternative way to drive the brush while allowing axial motion is that, rather than a splined shaft, the last drive gear and its pinion, are made overly thick in the axial direction, so that torque is transmitted, even as the brush shaft moves axially. Axial movement allows achievement of various applications of surface pressure.

[0041] 4. Not shown are mechanical provisions for driving an oscillating brush rather than a rotary brush. For back and forth oscillation, mechanical cranks or an offset cam will provide oscillating action, or other devices known to mechanical engineers skilled in the art. The oscillation action is preferred by some boat owners because residual cleaning streaks are all oriented in the direction of motion of the boat, and thus offer a slightly reduced drag over the surface.

[0042] 5. Lateral motion of the entire apparatus, while cleaning a surface, can be accomplished by the operator tilting the bell, away from the desired direction of lateral motion. The tilt of the bell will cause the edge of the bell facing in the desired direction to lift, and there is then greater input flow from the lifted side than the low other side, and there will consequently be greater pull in the direction which has been lifted. Alternatively, lateral or sideways motion is accomplished by selectively opening valves in the sides of the bell, opening a valve in the side towards which motion is desired. The sideways suction aids sideways motion.

[0043] 6. To adapt to curved boat hulls, the bell may be made into more than one solid piece. There will be multiple flaps on the side of the bell which can pull back from projection or curves, and return to normal when the underwater surface being cleaned is more regular. The bottom part of the bell is made of rubber, to conform to hull shapes.

[0044] 7. The brush may be driven through a flexible shaft from a remote location. The motor may be powered by air, or powered by hydraulics.

[0045] 8. Under certain combinations of surface quality, brush pressure, and water pressure, the pressure or suction toward the surface can become excessive, making lateral movement difficult. The unit will seem to bond to the surface. The remedies for this difficulty are several, one of which is to have release valves in the side of the bell. The internal suction is reduced when the relief valves are open. The opening of the valves is under manual control, or is spring operated, or other automatic control, related to pressure and lateral mobility. For example, if lateral motion is detected to be stiff, then by excess pressure required on the handle, the side valves will automatically open, or the bottom wheels will lift the assembly.

[0046] 9. The skirt may be larger than shown, and the bottom (surface 12 side) part of the bell may be highly flexible and extend upward (axial direction) to a large percentage of the bell sides. The bell will then more flexibly adapt to various boat hull shapes.

[0047] 10. The skirt may be formed of a large number of rubber fingers, also adaptable to boat bottom shapes, and passing water with some resistance to the bell.

[0048] 11. The system can be configured in the manner of the classic upright vacuum cleaner, as described in FIG. 4. The brush scrubbing element is a roller, rather than a flat circular brush surface. The debris is collected while scrubbing and sent upwards to a large bag, which filters out the debris and exhausts the water. The scrub marks of such a system are parallel, rather than circular, and will aid the speed of a boat. 

What I claim is:
 1. A system for cleaning underwater surfaces, comprised of a power drive to an abrasive device, a housing for the device with an open end towards the surface to be cleaned, an exhaust pump connected to or external to the housing, said pump suctioning water from the underwater surface through the housing to the exhaust point, said water flow causing said housing to press against the surface to be cleaned.
 2. A system for cleaning underwater surfaces as in claim 1, in which the said moving abrasive device is in the shape of a flat circular disk, with an abrasive side facing the surface, and in which the said power drive is in the form of a shaft to the circular disk.
 3. A system for cleaning underwater surfaces as in claim 1, in which the said moving abrasive device is in the shape of a roller, with axis parallel to the said surface, with an abrasive exterior facing the said surface, and in which the said power drive is a belt drive to the said roller.
 4. A system for cleaning underwater surfaces as in claim 1, in which the said housing is in the form of a bell, the open end of the bell facing the underwater surface.
 5. A system for cleaning underwater surfaces as in claim 1 in which said power drive causes oscillatory action of said abrasive device.
 6. A system for cleaning underwater surfaces as in claim 1 in which power to said power drive is an electric motor.
 7. A system for cleaning underwater surfaces as in claim 1 in which power to said power drive is an hydraulic motor.
 8. A system for cleaning underwater surfaces as in claim 7 in which said hydraulic motor is driven by the water flow resulting from the suction of water by said exhaust pump.
 9. A system for cleaning underwater surfaces as in claim 1 in which the said motor driving the said shaft moving the said brush also drives the rotor of a centrifugal pump, said centrifugal pump then acting as the said exhaust pump.
 10. A system for cleaning underwater surfaces as in claim as in 1 in which the said suction water flow also removes debris to a remote location.
 11. A system for cleaning underwater surfaces as in claim 1 in which the lips of the said housing are held a short distance away from the said surface by roller wheels.
 12. A system for cleaning underwater surfaces as in claim 1 in which the said lips of the said housing are held away by a rubber bumper.
 13. A system for cleaning underwater surfaces as in claim as in 1 in which the said open end of said housing is surrounded by a flexible skirt or flange which resists water flow under the housing perimeter tips, and thereby increases the pressure of the housing against the said surface.
 14. A system for cleaning underwater surfaces as in claim 1 in which the said brush can be moved perpendicularly to said surface towards or away from said surface to allow adjustment of the pressure of said brush against said surface.
 15. A system for cleaning underwater surfaces as in claim 1, in which lateral motion across said surface can be accomplished by slight tipping of said housing, thereby unbalancing the flow under the said lips, and causing the housing to have a preferred lateral direction of motion across said surface. 